Thailand Live Saturday 21 Jul 2012

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Thailand Live Saturday 21 July 2012

News, Bits and Tweets

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Keep up to date with live updates from the news, hour by hour.

For breaking news, national, regional and international news updates on a daily basis only, this thread is closed to commentary so that those who wish to follow the news can find it here...

Commentary is still open for Thailand news in the relevant thread posted in News Clippings.

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Related topic: Thailand Live Friday 20 Jul 2012

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Fake document got Abhisit his military job, Defence Ministry says

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Defence Ministry has found that a falsified military document was used when opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva applied to serve as a lecturer at the Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy.

Full story:

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Five govt agencies join in battle against HFMD outbreak

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Five key government agencies have joined forces to contain the outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), says Public Health Minister Witthaya Buranasiri, and expect to see the situation improve by next month.

Full story:

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Tourist site near Phreah Vihear reopens

The Nation

SI SA KET: -- Mor EDang Cliff, a scenic overlook near the trail to Phreah Vihear Temple in Si Sa Ket Province, reopened to visitors yesterday following the withdrawal of troops from the disputed area on Wednesday.

Full story:

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France's Hollande hails Thai PM's democracy 'commitments'

PARIS, July 21, 2012 (AFP) - French President Francois Hollande hailed Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's "commitments in favour of democracy and freedom" as they met in Paris on Friday, his office said.

Full story:

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Foreign couple in Phuket pass fake UK banknotes at Kata currency booth

Phuket Gazette

Exchange booth owner Kanyarat Tiewsakul holds up the fake notes. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

The relatively new cashier was unable to spot the counterfeit notes. Photo: Atchaa Khamlo

PHUKET: -- The owner of a currency exchange booth in Kata fell victim to a pair of unidentified foreigners that systematically passed off a series of counterfeit British £20 banknotes.

Full story:

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BROADCASTING

Radio operators make their case at NBTC public

WATCHIRANONT THONGTEP

THE NATION

Police take charge, as some operators caused chaos during the public hearing

BANGKOK: -- Amid a heated public hearing, radio operators had mixed opinions about the draft rules for a trial radio operation for public-service, commercial and community-based purposes, and technical standards of radio transmission presented by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission yesterday.

Full story:

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Bt10,000 flood payments ok

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Interior Ministry yesterday agreed in principle on flood payments of Bt10,000 to each floodaffected Bangkok resident, at the request of Democrat Party MPs who yesterday had a special meeting with ministry and disaster mitigation officials.

Full story:

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Eight injured in Narathiwat car bomb attack

The Nation

The wreckage of a pickup truck that was used in yesterday

NARATHIWAT: -- Insurgents detonated a homemade bomb hidden inside a pickup truck yesterday morning in a move to ambush patrolling police officers in Narathiwat

Sungai Kolok district police chief Pol Colonel Maitree Chimcherd said the explosion occurred at 6.15am in front of an electrical appliance shop, causing fire to break out in shop houses nearby. It took 10 fire engines more than three hours to put out the blaze.

The owner of a mobile phone shop and three of his family members had to be rescued from the rooftop.

Investigators found the wreckage of an Isuzu pickup truck at the scene, and police believe insurgents had hidden a 50kilogram bomb stuffed inside a cooking gas cylinder in the truck. Three vehicles and a motorcycle parked nearby were also damaged in the blast.

Police say insurgents had stolen the pickup truck in an ambush last November, during which they shot and killed the two occupants. They added that the licence plate used for the pickup truck was authentic but belonged to another vehicle that was stolen after an ambush on June 21, during which the owner was killed.

Meanwhile, the eight people injured in yesterday's blast were passersby on their way home after shopping at a fresh market nearby. They were immediately rushed to the district hospital.

Police believe the bomb, detonated with a walkietalkie, was targeting a patrol car of policemen from Sungai Kolok police station. Nobody in the patrol car was hurt.

An arrest warrant has been issued for a man believed to be an insurgent leader active in Sungai Kolok and Sungai Padi districts. Police are keeping the suspect's identity secret to prevent him from going into hiding. Police have also found a SIM card at the scene and are extracting all call records.

Separately, a military source released the identities of two men believed to be behind yesterday's attack as Allahwuddin Sokoh and Nasri Mueree, who have allegedly been on the run for four years.

Security in Narathiwat and the business district in Songkhla's Hat Yai district had been heightened and will remain high throughout the monthlong Ramadan period, which began yesterday.

-- The Nation 2012-07-21

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Five more Thais reportedly detained in Myanmar

The Nation

RANONG: -- A senior Army commander yesterday was trying to confirm reports that five Thais were apprehended by Myanmar authorities after they crossed the border to retrieve farming equipment and vehicles that had been confiscated on Koh Song, off Ranong Province.

Colonel Phornsak Phoolsawas said he could not confirm that the five had been detained. They may have already returned to Thailand without notifying authorities, he said.

Meanwhile, questioning of the 92 Thai detainees captured by Myanmar authorities on Koh Song on July 4 was almost complete, Phornsak said. Police in Myanmar would charge those found involved in criminal activities. They face such charges as illegal entry, land encroachment, growing cannabis, weapons possession and obstruction of justice.

By next Friday, those faced with nonfelony charges as well as women and children would undergo court procedures and possibly be freed from custody, after convictions and fines, said the colonel.

-- The Nation 2012-07-21

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Wastewater treatment records to become mandatory

Janjira Pongrai

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- From August 2, all shopping complexes, large hotels, hospitals and other businesses must start compiling their wastewatertreatment records and report the results to relevant authorities every month.

Full story:

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Politics in media: a fact of life?

Kornchanok Raksaseri,

Somroutai Sapsomboon,

Pravit Rojanaphruk

The Nation

Legal loopholes make enforcing constitutional ban on media ownership by office-holders impractical, critics say

BANGKOK: - It is beyond doubt that many "political" TV channels operating at the moment exist in violation of the Constitution, which clearly prohibits politicians from owning media organisations. The question is not whether they should all be taken off the air; it's whether the prohibition is realistic in the first place.

Full story:

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BEER WAR

Heineken bids for APB in response to ThaiBev

KWANCHAI RUNGFAPAISARN

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Heineken said yesterday that it was offering US$4.1 billion (Bt130 billion) for a majority stake in the Singapore-based maker of Tiger beer, attempting to neutralise Thai Beverage's competing bid for influence over the brand as the Dutch brewer expands in emerging markets.

Full story:

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Public Health Ministry to hold Old Medicines-for-Eggs campaign in Bangkok

BANGKOK, 21 July 2012 (NNT) – The Public Health Ministry is set to launch the “old medicines for eggs” campaign in Bangkok next week.

Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri said the “old medicines for eggs” campaign will be officially launched in Bangkok during July 23rd and 27th, following its success in the province.

Mr. Wittaya said that, to date, the Public Health Ministry has acquired 37 million pills/tablets of old medicines from the public.

For Bangkok, 33 locations have been chosen to carry out the campaign, including Rajavithi Hospital, BTS’s Victory Monument Station, Central Department Store – Rama 3, and Central Plaza Grand Rama 9.

The Public Health Minister is asking the public to bring their old medicines to receive free eggs of no fewer than 5 per family and useful knowledge of drug use during the aforementioned period.

-- NNT 2012-07-21

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Culture Ministry to launch nationwide campaign to celebrate HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn's 60th birthday anniversary

BANGKOK, 21 July 2012 (NNT) - The Culture Ministry is set to hold a special campaign across the country to commemorate HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn's 60th birthday anniversary.

The Culture Ministry’s Inspector General and Spokesperson Sahawat Naenna revealed that the Ministry has been planning a nationwide campaign to commemorate the 5th cycle birthday anniversary of HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn

The campaign will be held both in Bangkok and in various locations across the country, from July 27th to December.

Mr. Sahawat added that a number of interesting activities are also being planned to join in the celebration campaign, including an art exhibition at the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute in Bangkok and a special concert at the Thailand Cultural Center during July 21st and 22nd.

-- NNT 2012-07-21

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Protesting farmers end roadblock in Phetchabun

PHETCHABUN, 21 July 2012 (NNT) - A number of farmers closed off the street in front of the Phetchabun city hall yesterday to air complaints about their hardships arising from a denial by provincial ricemills to help them buy produce under the government's rice pawning scheme.

The farmers later asked Mr. Yuparat Bua-in, a Member of the House of Representatives for Phetchabun province, to be their representative in negotiating with Mr. Kaneethip Boonyaket, from the office of the Phetchabun Governor, and Ms. Srisurang Lasongsee of the Internal Trade Department’s Phetchabun office.

A resolution was reached, in which the provincial administraton agreed to firstly pay rice farmers according to the rice pawning scheme to alleviate their difficulties while Mr. Kaneethip agreed to raise the issue to the meeting of the provincial subcommittee responsible for supervising the rice pawning scheme on July 23.

-- NNT 2012-07-21

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RT @PhuketLiveWire: Real 100 Mbps download speeds for less than $35/mo in HKG, Tokyo, SFO, Riga, Seoul, Bucharest, Berlin. In Phuket? 1.5 Mbps or so.

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Microsoft unveils the new Office

Delivers Office as a cloud service while harnessing innovations enabled by Windows 8

Full story:

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In Narathiwat, arson at rubber fund co-op office; 2 assailants on motorcycle shoot at teashop, wound one; roadside bombing wounds 2 soldiers /MCOT

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Problem of Surin elephants will be on Cabinet agenda at mobile meeting this month

SURIN, 21 July 2012 (NNT) - Mr. Suwit Rattanamani, Director-General of the Royal Forest Department, Mr. Niran Kalayanamit, Governor of Surin, and Mr. Sanchai Julamont, director of the Zoological Park Organization, yesterday met with civil servants, mahouts, and other agencies and organizations involved with the care of elephants in Surin. The meeting's objective was to determine methods to solve the problems of mahouts’ difficulties and elephants roaming city streets for money.

At present there are 150 elephants at Surin’s elephant center which gives each mahout a monthly salary of 8,000 THB. Nationwide, there are 316 elephants working at various elephant centers, 136 elephants roaming on streets with mahouts, and 76 elephants being raised at mahouts' houses.

The Provincial Administration Organization of Surin has been asking a budget of 126 million THB to address elephant problems in a concrete manner. The proposal will be presented to the Cabinet at a mobile meeting to be held on July 29 and 30 in Surin. On July 29, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will travel to the elephant center of Surin to observe the care of pachyderms and listen to related problems as well as solution guidelines.

-- NNT 2012-07-21

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Ex-cop found dead in Phuket Town hotel

Phuket Gazette

Lt Col Chokchai retired from his post in Ranong in February this year. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

Police found the dead officer's handgun, as well as ammunition, in his black SUV parked outside the hotel. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

Full Story: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/571491-ex-cop-found-dead-in-phuket-town-hotel/#entry5505108

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Supreme Commander: Border Patrol Police can handle border situation around Preah Vihear

BANGKOK, 21 July 2012 (NNT) - Supreme Commander Gen.Thanasak Patimaprakorn has expressed his confidence that the Border Patrol Police will perform efficiently at the disputed Preah Vihear border zone. He confirmed Thailand would not lose sovereignty after military personnel were withdrawn from the Thai-Cambodian overlapping area.

Gen.Thanasak said on Friday that the International Court of Justice ruled that Thailand and Cambodia must withdraw troops from the border zone on 18 July 2011 or a year ago. He said Thailand must abide by the court’s order to show cooperation, adding that the country’s refusal to pull back troops might affect the next trial in 2013.

Thailand has replaced army officers at the disputed area with Border Patrol Police forces and Cambodia has reciprocally done the same. The Supreme Commander said he believed in the ability of the Thai Border Patrol Police in taking care of the border situation since they had been continuously trained with the military.

The Thai-Cambodian Joint Working Group (JWG) will make sure that Thailand and Cambodia abide by the court’s order. The JWG works under the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee whose resolutions on the Preah Vihear border dispute will be submitted to Parliament for approval according to Section 190 of the Constitution.

-- NNT 2012-07-21

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Rare orange bat found in Ang Thong

ANG THONG, 21 July 2012 (NNT) - A rare orange bat was the center of attention in front of the Nakitseng mini-mart in a municipal market in Ang Thong province. Citizens doing their grocery shopping gathered around to admire and take photograph of the orange creature, which had attached itself to the front of a pick-up truck belonging to Mr. Surasak Rimsueb.

The bat in question was extremely small, not weighing more than fifteen grams, with a small hairy nose and a body colored shades of orange, red, and brown. Its wings were orange striped with black while its webbed feet were in orange to red.

The pick-up truck owner stated that he had taken out his vehicle in the morning to go to the market, and when he got out, he noticed something on the bumper in front of the grill. Upon closer observation, the mysterious object revealed itself to be an orange bat. He researched the animal and discovered it is the painted bat, or Kerivoula picta, a species that often resides in the young, curled-up leaves of banana trees. Once the leaves unfurl, they move on to new homes.

This particular species of bat is rare and close to extinction. It is protected under Thai law.

-- NNT 2012-07-21

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3 Turkish nationals arrested using fake credit cards at ATMs in Bangkok, damages over Bt100 million; 2 Lithuanians caught for same in Pattaya /MCOT

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Public Health Minister: Epidemic situation improves

BANGKOK, 21 July 2012 (NNT) - Public Health Minister Wittaya Buranasiri has expressed his satisfaction with the ministry’s disease control measures after statistics showed that the overall epidemic spread in Thailand this year had dropped.

Mr.Wittaya said on Saturday in a government TV program that Thailand’s epidemic situation in 2012 had not been found to be on the rise. As for the ongoing spread of hand, foot and mouth disease, the minister said it was a seasonal epidemic and he had instructed Public Health officials to coordinate with the Education and Interior ministries in closely monitoring the spread.

The minister urged the public not to panic as the disease was not of a severe strain and could be prevented if people follow health advice by the ministry. As for the increasing hand, foot and mouth infections to over 13,000 cases nationwide, the minister said the higher number was a result of the government’s efficient surveillance and reporting system.

Meanwhile, Director-General of the Department of Disease Control MD Pornthep Siriwanarangsan said 1,000 mobile disease investigation teams were on standby to immediately travel to the areas suspected to have hand, foot and mouth infections. MD Pornthep said children and adults can be infected with the disease equally.

-- NNT 2012-07-21

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92 Thais detained in Myanmar facing at least six months in jail

RANONG, July 21 -- Myanmar's Township Border Committee (TBC) informed its Thai counterpart that the 92 Thai detainees charged with illegal entry or land encroachment are expected to be tried on July 27 and were likely to face at least six months in jail.

Thailand's TBC official said their Myanmar counterpart has informed that investigation and questioning of detained Thai nationals was complete and they were to be brought to court on July 27 for trial.

The trial would be for illegal entry and forest encroachment and sentencing would be handed down on the same day.

It was expected that each defendant could face six months in jail, as the case would was comparable with a similar case in 2009 where three Thais were arrested by Myanmar authorities for illegal entry and logging in Myanmar territory. The trio were sentenced to six months imprisonment without commutation.

As for other charges, the Myanmar authorities were investigating and any Thais among the 92 found to be involved with other charges would be brought up on additional charges.

Col Pornsak Poonsawat, commander of a task force of the 25th Infantry Regiment and Thailand's TBC chairman said on Friday that the Thai nationals faced five counts of wrongdoing: illegal entry; forest encroachment and illegal land occupation; growing illicit drug plants including cannabis and kratom; possession of firearms and military weapons; and obstruction of official duties.

The 92 Thai villagers were detained for encroaching onto Myanmar territory while they maintain that they were lured by a broker to clear the land beyond areas authorised by the Myanmar officials for Thais to use as cultivation areas.

They were being detained in Myanmar's Koh Song province, opposite Thailand's border province of Ranong.

Meanwhile, Col Pornsak said that Thai authorities were investigating and verifying a report that five more Thais were being detained in Myanmar.

The arrest reportedly took place after they entered Myanmar territory to collect the belongings of their relatives, who had been detained on July 4.

Col Pornsak urged the villagers not to enter into the location where Thais were detained as they could also be arrested. Myanmar authorities have deployed soldiers along the border to prevent any further encroachments. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-07-21

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to continue:

Thailand Live Sunday 22 Jul 2012

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/571511-thailand-live-sunday-22-jul-2012/